'Cold dark world': Sudden 113% spike in condo fees sparks nasty dispute, threats

When condo fees more than doubled in a North York building, it sparked a nasty dispute involving legal threats, frightening e-mails, and accusations of a conspiracy, according to a new Ontario Superior Court judgment.

And now the board of the commercial units at the Emerald Park condo at Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue is hoping a new court order against harassment and threats will give some relief — and allow them to get to the bottom of the surprise fee hikes that are common to many new builds in Ontario.

"It kept me awake at night. I couldn't sleep," said William Liu, a member of the board who says he was as surprised as anyone to see the fee hike in the first five years the building was open.

"One hundred thirteen percent on our unit is a lot. For example, my fees went from about $500 a month to about $1000 a month," he said.

That was tough for his business, a storefront smartphone and technology repair firm. But others in the building took it worse.